Episode 399: Can You Patent A Steak? : Planet MoneyWe visit the workshop of a meat inventor, who came up with Steak-Umm and KFC's popcorn chicken. And we try to figure out what meat inventors tell us about patents and innovation.

Tony Mata is a meat inventor. Obviously, he didn't invent meat; his job is figuring out new things to do with it.

Mata thinks he discovered a new steak—a novel way to cut up a chunk of beef that's currently not worth much. He's so excited about his discovery that he's trying to patent it.

Today on the show: can you patent a steak? We visit the workshop of Gene Gagliardi, the inventor of Steak-Umm and KFC's popcorn chicken. And we try to figure out what meat inventors tell us about patents and innovation.